5 detained over deaths of Chinese schoolchildren

BEIJING (AP) — Police in southern China say five people have been detained over a bus accident that killed eight elementary school students and injured 32 others this past week.

A notice Sunday on the Hainan provincial government’s website said those detained included the driver and an executive with the bus company.

It said the principal of the private Xincai School, its chief investor and her husband were also detained.

Thursday’s accident came during an outing organized by the school for 586 students. The official Xinhua News Agency said the accident occurred when the bus with 47 people on board rolled over on a road under construction that was slippery from rain.

The report said no special arrangements for the outing were made with authorities despite the large number of students taking part.